Temptation Of Madness
by adromir
Summary: Is something wrong with the Mirkwood princes? Why do they behave so strangely at the midnight hour? Does anyone knows the reason why?
1. Default Chapter

**Hello, hello! Surprise to see me? Right. I promised to come back next month but…Tada! Here I am! My keyboard and I are so eager to get started! Forget about the Board Meeting scheduled the next day. _This_ just can't wait!**

**Anyway, this story is an AU (As if my other stories are not. LOL!) I somehow got the idea to write this after watching a stupid B-grade horror movie. Sigh. Yes, I know. My life is pathetic. There are so many great movies out there and I got to watch this low budget over-creative production. I will not give out the title of the film, because I don't even have a clue what it was! He! He!**

**This story takes place right before 'Touch Of A Healer'. Legolas is equivalent to human's twenty-year-old, while Keldarion is thirty.**

**Happy reading!**

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A lone owl suddenly hooted somewhere up in the monstrous tree outside his chamber.

Legolas blinked, looked up and expelled a weary sigh. It was past midnight, which meant he had been painting for many hours now. Putting down his brushes and palette, the prince turned away from the half-finished painting and stretched languidly, trying to loose all the kinks from his tired limbs and muscles after he had been standing there, engrossed in his work, for quite a long time.

He had gone straight to his chamber right after dinner, suddenly having a wild craving to paint the beautiful scenery of his father's realm at night. It was late autumn and the trees surrounding the Mirkwood palace were almost bare, signaling that winter was just around the corner. But there was a full moon above, smiling big and bright upon the indigo sky among thousands of stars, cloaking the land below with its ethereal blue and silver glow. It was mysterious and breathtaking, at least to Legolas' eyes.

King Thranduil could only shake his head in mild exasperation mixed with amusement when he saw his youngest son kept glancing outside during the evening meal, muttering to himself about color tones and shades and lighting. The prince had barely touched his dessert before he leaped off his seat and left the dining table, shouting goodnight greetings to everyone and vanished up the stairs.

Rubbing a hand up and down the back of his neck, Legolas kneaded the knots there as he leaned against the balcony rail, staring dreamily at the moon. The night chill began to seep through his bones after working on the opened balcony for hours, but he didn't care. It was worth it.

His painting had turned out wonderful. He managed to capture the scene so well that it looked alive, even when it still needed several additional touches here and there. No doubt his father would be eager to hang it up on the wall in his study or the royal gallery, where hundreds of his other paintings were.

Yawning, he was about to turn around and gather all his art supplies back into his room when a sudden movement in the garden below caught his eyes. Frowning, he sharpened his gaze to inspect the moving shadow more closely.

"Who would be out in the garden in this cold, _now_ of all times?" Legolas wondered out loud, knowing that the night sentry did not include the private royal garden in their patrol. But then he realized that the figure was very familiar to him.

"Kel?" Legolas' frown deepened, instantly recognizing his elder brother's tall form and raven long hair. Prince Keldarion's movement was all grace as he entered the shrub maze in the middle of the garden, and he was completely…

Legolas' eyes nearly bulged out of their socket. "He is naked!"

His mouth dropping open, Legolas stared in shock when his brother vanished through the maze. "Elbereth. What is he up to?"

Shaking himself out of his stupor, the prince quickly grabbed the rail and vaulted over, landing nimbly on his feet twenty feet below. Then he started running, heading directly for the maze entrance where Keldarion had disappeared into.

As he walked through the path among the tall shrubs after his brother, Legolas heard someone singing. It was Keldarion's fine tenor voice, sounding bright and clear in the deep silence of the midnight hour. Legolas couldn't help but cringe when he recognized the song, a lewd and bawdy number that only graced the taverns of men totally unfit for noble elven princes.

Shaking his head in disbelief and completely lost for words, Legolas diligently followed after his brother's voice. It led him directly to the heart of the maze. What he saw there stunned him even more.

Torn between worry and amusement, Legolas stared, dumbfounded, as Keldarion skipped and danced around the marble statue of Qestari, a beautiful ancient nymph who was legendary among the Silvan elves since the beginning of Arda.

Legolas was not sure whose idea it was that had commissioned the statue as the heart of the maze. He only knew that she had been there since before he was even born, a subject for Keldarion to scare him with when the younger prince had misbehaved as a child. His elder brother had warned him that Qestari would come alive and eat naughty little boys, not that Legolas ever believe a word of it. In fact, he had loved to play at the statue's feet when he was an elfling, playing hide-and-seek and climbing up the fifteen-feet-tall white marble.

And that was exactly what Keldarion was currently doing.

"Kel!" Legolas rushed forward, staring up at his brother in dismay. "What the blazes are you doing? Get down from there!"

The elder prince saw his younger brother and instantly stopped singing. He blinked and broke into a huge grin. "See, Legolas! I've caught myself a beautiful maiden!" he exclaimed, giggling like a besotted fool.

Legolas didn't know whether to laugh or cry. He rolled his eyes instead. "Kel, are you drunk?"

Keldarion laughed harder. "Noooo. Do I look like I'm drunk? Oh, yeeees. I'm drunk all right! I'm drunk with lust…err…love! Ai! Look at her breast! So pretty!"

Legolas' felt his jaw drop when Keldarion grabbed the said body part and squeezed. To his horror, Keldarion didn't stop there. The crown prince of Mirkwood, the most respected and highly skilled warrior of the realm, moaned out loud and arched his back, pressing himself harder against the marble statue.

Legolas grimaced involuntarily to see the position of his brother's crotch. "Uh…Kel…you…you better get down from there before you…uh…hurt yourself," he managed to utter, blushing furiously with embarrassment. He understood that his brother was no virgin, but Keldarion would never behave so lewdly. Something was definitely wrong with him.

"Kel!" Legolas called out, a little louder. He yanked at Keldarion's arm when his brother continued to ignore him. "What the blazes have gotten into you? Get down! _Now_!"

Keldarion choose that moment to release his grip. The next thing Legolas knew, his brother came tumbling off the statue and crashed into him. With a surprise yell, Legolas dropped to the ground, with Keldarion landing hard on top of him.

For a moment, Legolas saw stars, the wind being knocked out of his lungs in a big whoosh. Then he heard Keldarion giggle.

"Oh, Kel…" Legolas heavily sighed, wiggling out from under his brother. He grabbed Keldarion's wrists and pulled him to his feet. "Come. Get up. I had better get you inside before you freeze to death out here!"

"Better freeze to death than dry out of love!" Keldarion responded, grinning stupidly.

Shaking his head, Legolas draped his brother's arm over one shoulder, grumbling all the while. "I can't believe you would act like this! Being out here, nakedand….Kel? What are you…? Umph!!"

To Legolas' great shock, Keldarion suddenly whirled around, hauled him into his strong arms and kissed him!

It went on for several tense seconds, with Legolas standing stock still like the blasted Qestari statue, his eyes opened wide. Then he began to struggle frantically. "Ummph….Kk…Kel…mmph…GET OFF!" he yelled, pushing against his brother's hard chest.

Keldarion stumbled backwards, smiling roguishly. "What's wrong, my lady? Don't you like my kiss?"

Grimacing, Legolas hastily wiped the back of his hand against his mouth. He was sure his entire jaw had landed somewhere at his feet. "_Lady_? Are you out of your mind?! I'm your brother!"

Swaggering forward, Keldarion gripped his brother's shoulders and dragged him closer. "A lady of your beauty should not deny who you are, love. I know you want me…"

At that, Keldarion swoop his head down to claim his brother's lips once more. Growing desperate, the younger prince raised his fist and struck his brother's face with all his might.

Without a sound, Keldarion toppled over and crumpled to the ground. Unconscious.

"Owww…" Legolas moaned, favoring his quickly swelling fist. "What do you have in that jaw, Kel? A rock?"

Not expecting a reply, Legolas knelt beside his brother's supine body and poked him in the ribs. "Kel?"

No respond. Keldarion was deeply lost to the world, his eyes closed. And he was smiling!

Sighing, Legolas gingerly gathered his brother's limp form and draped him over his right shoulder. "I don't know what have happened here, Kel," he growled as he got to his feet, turning to the palace with his burden. "But something is definitely strange about you and I'm going to find out what it is. So you had better behave or I'll dump you where we are standing!"

Luckily, Legolas didn't stumble upon anyone on his way up to Keldarion's room. He had avoided the main staircase. Instead, he had climbed up the vine that hugged the palace wall. From there, he had deftly leaped onto his brother's balcony and entered the chamber, not overly surprise to see the door standing wide open. Keldarion must have used the exact same way to get into the garden without anyone else noticing.

Legolas dumped his brother unceremoniously onto the bed. Then he straightened up and looked around with critical eyes. _Something happened here_, he thought, looking at the rumpled bedspread and scattered pillows. Keldarion's nightshirt lay on the floor, along with his boots and leggings.

With a rueful shake of his head, Legolas walked to the nightstand to pour some water into a bowl. Grabbing a clean towel from inside a chest, he strode back towards the bed and sat beside the still unconscious form of his brother.

Staring at the bruise already forming at Keldarion's jaw, Legolas felt a slight remorse. _I shouldn't have hit him so hard_, he told himself and started cleaning the dirt off his brother's face and body. Still, he knew he had had no other choice. Keldarion could have subdued him and kissed him again! Ai! That would be horrible!

Debating with himself whether it was a good idea to heal his brother with his _manyan_ healing touch, Legolas finally decided not to. He would rather wait and let Kelarion wake up all by himself. Besides, Keldarion was not that badly hurt—only a big bruise to his jaw and a bigger bruise to his pride.

Pulling the coverlet over his brother's nude form, Legolas then settled himself in a big chair beside the bed.

And he patiently waited.****

**TBC….**


	2. 2

**meisalliam :**** I'm glad you like the portrayal of Legolas' artistic side. Trust me; he's very shy about it.**

**Hp-Azn : What was that, you ask? Err…I don't know. Let's ask Kel.**

**Fire Breathing Ferret : Come out from your hiding place, will you! Things are just going to get hotter!**

**Artex :**** No. Kel is definitely _not_ all right!**

**astalder27 :**** Thank you for that reminder. I will update my Biopage now. So sorry. I was so lazy. Ha! Ha!**

**othrilis :**** Poetry? Really? Oh, I'm honored! Please do so! And send them to me! Thank you!**

**Sailor Elf : Yes, I do have some explaining to do. A little incident with Leggy? Just _a little_? Are you sure?**

**BRazgirl :**** Thank God your computer is safe!**

**Althelas :**** _Helps her back into her chair_ There, now. Comfortable? Good. I'll tell you what I'll do next to Leggy; I'm going to—_tuttt__!_—him.  (Sorry. Censorship board in progress.) He! He!**

**Dur En Thurin Naur : The father disowned his good son just because the son saw him naked? What's the matter with that guy? Didn't he know that 'Father's Day' is coming this Sunday and you have to be on good behavior? Disown his son? Bah! Shame on him! Interesting story, though. ;)**

**Aranel of Mirkwood : It's freaky, all right. More cliffies after this, yes? (I hope Kimi wins something before this season ends! Hopefully the B-car will be better too. McLaren has such big budget. It's impossible they haven't figure out their problems by now, right?)**

**Gwyn :**** He could have subdued me too! I'm so willing!**

**Tauron :**** 'Humping' the statue! Now that's the word I should have used! Hilarious!**

**Someone Reading : Keep reading, mellon!**

**beginning end-314 : Addicted to the website while having exams, are you? Hmmm. I have a cure. Bring the whole thing into the exam hall!**

**Nathalia Porter : Yep. Keldarion has gone loony. Somewhat…**

**Lady Lenna : Thank you! And I'm updating now!**

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It was right after dawn.

Keldarion blinked himself awake…only to find a pair of bright silver eyes staring back at him. The elder prince went still, gazing dazedly at his younger brother. "Wha…"

"Before you say anything, I want you to answer me first," Legolas said. "Are you going to kiss my lips again?"

Keldarion blinked. And blinked once more. Then he shot upright and shouted, "_WHAT_?!"

Legolas winced and stepped away from the bed, putting his arms in front of him as if to ward off some demon. "Whoa. Easy, big brother."

"What the blazes were you saying just now?" Keldarion growled. "I don't think I heard it right."

"Are you feeling like yourself?"

Keldarion glared. "Of course, I am!"

"But you were _very_ different last night."

"Different? Different how?"

"Don't…don't you remember what happened?"

Frowning, Keldarion worked his brain to recall. "Last night? I went to bed early after a game of chess with father and I believe I slept soundly like the dead. Why?"

"Are you sure?" Legolas was skeptical.

"Why are you asking me this?" Keldarion frowned even more. "Did something else happen while I was asleep?"

 "Well…" Legolas gulped nervously. "Last night at midnight, I didn't find you sleeping. In truth, you were not in your room."

Keldarion stared without a word, waiting for his brother to continue.

Legolas bit his lips, contemplating whether it was smart for him to do so. "Instead, I found you in the garden," the younger prince finally said, wincing. "You were stark naked."

Keldarion's eyes bulged. "I was _what_?"

Legolas took another step back when he saw his brother's face turned red. "You were _naked_! You had not a stitch on, naked as the day you were born and…"

"All right! All right! I got the picture!" Keldarion cried out, putting up a hand.

"In fact, you still are under that cover," Legolas softly added.

Keldarion quickly lifted the coverlet and looked down. He blushed even more. Turning back to Legolas, he snapped, "Explain."

Legolas settled himself back in the chair beside the bed, warily eyeing his brother. "I don't know what had gotten into you last night, Kel. I found you deep in the maze, singing and dancing around the statue of Qestari."

Keldarion felt himself choking. "I…I was dancing around _naked_? But why would I…?" Then he glared. "Right. Very funny, little brother. If this is your idea of a joke…"

Legolas rolled his eyes upward. "This is not a joke! I'm not lying to you! I saw you there, dancing around and around that statue like a maniac! I thought you were drunk! But I saw that you were not and that something _else_ was definitely wrong with you. What you did next was totally…uh…indecent."

Keldarion felt the shiver of dread run up and down his spine. "What did I do?"

Grimacing, Legolas reluctantly told him, "You climbed up the statue and you…you…uh…fondled her breasts as you rubbed your…uh…you-know-what against her."

There was a long silence afterwards. And then, groaning out loud, Keldarion twisted and buried his head under the pillow. 

Legolas cringed as his brother's muffled scream and expletives hit his eardrums. "Uh…Kel? Are you all right?"

Keldarion flung the pillow away and glared. "Oh, I'm just peachy, little brother! I'm so _all right_ I want to dance naked in the garden at midnight again! The problem is, I can't even remember doing it! Arghhh!" He covered his face with his hands, shaking his head in disgust.

Getting off the chair, Legolas took a seat beside his brother on the bed. He gripped Keldarion's shoulder comfortingly. "If it makes you feel better, then know that no one else saw you except for me. I quickly got you in here before anyone could spread the word that the crown prince of Mirkwood has suddenly gone bananas."

Keldarion weakly chuckled and looked up at his brother. His smile froze when he recalled what Legolas had said to him the moment he woke up. "What _else_ did I do?"

His younger brother avoided his eyes, blushing himself. "Nothing worth mentioning," he said.

His eyes narrowing, Keldarion bit the words out, "What. Did. I. Do?"

Legolas started to get off the bed. "Don't worry, Kel. I know you were not acting yourself and…"

"Just tell me!" Keldarion shouted, yanking his brother back down.

"You kissed me!" Legolas shouted in return. "I was trying to get you off the blasted statue when you suddenly whirled and embraced me and then you kissed me!"

"On your lips?" Keldarion was clearly mortified.

"No. On my butt." Legolas rolled his eyes. "Of course, on my lips! I think you thought I was _her_!"

"Who?" Keldarion was moaning, his head clasped between his hands once again.

"I don't know who! Maybe she was some maiden you were seeing in your mind at that time. Who knows?"

Keldarion raised his eyes and stared dazedly at his brother. "Oh, Lord. I'm so sorry, Legolas. I don't know what had come over me. I don't even remember doing that."

Legolas sighed. "I know. I'm sorry too. I had to punch you to knock you out."

"You…" Keldarion chuckled. "You punched me?"

"Yes." Legolas grinned. "Is your jaw still sore?"

Keldarion smiled wider, touching his jaw. "At least it is still there. I just can't believe…Ai Elbereth! I kissed _you_?! Uuugh! Get me some water! Quick!"

Again, Legolas rolled his eyes, looking quite offended. Still he stood to pour a glass of water for his brother. "You don't have to react that way, as if you would rather kiss an orc!"

"No offense, brother. The only one I ever prefer to kiss is a maiden. You, are _completely_ not my type," Keldarion said before he drank the entire glass.

"Oh, I'm so heartbroken," Legolas responded, playfully clasping one hand over his heart. Then he turned serious. "So, are we going to tell father about this?"

Keldarion's eyes widened, nearly dropping the glass in his shock. "Of course not! I've had enough humiliation to last my entire lifetime!"

"Fine, then. I won't tell him."

"Thank you. This is our secret, all right? _Don't_ tell anyone."

"I won't. I promise."

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"Remember anything?"

Keldarion turned at his brother's question and shook his head. "Not really."

"What exactly do you remember?" Legolas asked again, carefully watching his brother's grim handsome face.

Sighing, Keldarion walked closer to the marble statue and touched it, running his hand up and down her smooth calf. He stopped abruptly when he saw the funny look his brother was sending him. Quickly dropping his hand, Keldarion averted his gaze, blushing.

"Well,'" the elder prince said, clearing his throat. "I believe _something_ is coming back to my mind, but it is still vague."

It was early morning. Instead of joining the Mirkwood warriors in the training field for their daily sword practice, the two brothers were standing at the heart of the maze in the garden, staring up at the Qestari statue to find some answers. They had made a thorough scrutiny of Keldarion's chamber but found nothing unusual except for the way his night clothes lying strewn all over the floor, which was very strange because the elder prince was known as a neat and orderly person.

Biting his lips, Legolas asked next, "Don't you even remember coming here?"

Keldarion shook his head, walking around the marble nymph and gazing at her angelic features. Then he frowned. "I think I remember it now. I climbed her up, you say?"

Legolas nodded enthusiastically. "Yes, you did! It was such a sight! You were naked and you were hugging her tight, like two lovers in a heat of passion and…"

"Enough! You don't have to go into such details!" Keldarion cried out, clasping his hands over his ears, his face bright red.

Grinning, Legolas couldn't stop teasing his brother. "Apart from that…uh…kiss, what happened last night was quite amusing, actually. You looked like a rake. A _very_ desperate rake."

Growling, Keldarion made a move to wring his brother's neck.

Laughing, Legolas danced away, out of Keldarion's reach. "You know, Kel, you look good naked," he said, still chortling. "What do you say if I paint you? _Nude_."

"You wouldn't dare!" Keldarion yelled and leaped, dragging his brother to the ground.

Amid shrieks of laughter and growls of exasperation, the two brothers wrestled each other senseless, trying to pin the other down. It was so loud and boisterous that surprisingly nobody came running to investigate.

"Valar! You should have seen your face!" Legolas exclaimed with mirth. "Or better yet, I can paint that entire scene for you so you can understand what I'm talking about! You looked so splendid and you…Kel? What's wrong?"

Keldarion had suddenly gone still under his brother's firm hold, his eyes slightly glazed. Panicked, Legolas quickly get off him and shook his shoulders. "Kel? What's the matter with you? Can't you hear what I'm saying..?"

"I hear you," Keldarion finally responded, pushing himself to a sitting position. He glanced briefly at his brother before turning towards the statue.

"What?" Legolas was puzzled. "What is it?"

"I remember it now," Keldarion answered, getting to his feet. His cobalt blue eyes were burning bright with recognition as he gazed deeply at the features of the marble nymph. "She brought me here."****

**TBC….**


	3. 3

**So sorry for not responding to any of the reviews today but I'm in kinda hurry. (Great and nice reviews, though. Thank you!) I'll try to respond to them on the next chappie, okay?**

**On to the story!**

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Legolas was silent for a long moment as he tried to swallow what his brother had just told him. Then he burst out laughing. "Oh, that's right! The statue comes alive! _So scary_. Very funny, Kel! That's a good one! You truly got me there…"

"I'm serious!" Keldarion snarled, glowering at his brother.

Legolas instantly snapped his mouth shut, blinking in return at the obviously rankled elder prince.

Sighing heavily, Keldarion ran a hand through his hair. "It was like a dream, but now I know it was real. She came to me while I was asleep. I suddenly woke up to see her already lying beside me on my bed. She was so lovely."

Unsure on how to respond to that, Legolas kept quiet and waited for his brother to continue.

Keldarion looked even more miserable. "I don't know how it started, but then we…we were undressing each other and…Ai Elbereth! I believe we made love!"

Legolas gulped. He opened his mouth repeatedly, and finally managed to come out with a whisper, "You mean…you made love to…_that_ statue?"

"No!" Keldarion responded, scowling. "I told you she was real! A maiden of actual flesh and blood. I could feel her touch and smell her breath. I could…" He glared when he saw his brother's skeptical expression. "Fine. I don't care if you didn't believe a word I said, but it really happened."

Legolas neared his brother and grasped his arm. "I didn't say I do not believe you," he softly said. "Tell me, what happened after that?"

Keldarion gazed forlornly into his brother's kind eyes and sighed. He leaned dejectedly against the statue and continued, "I remember her leading me by the hand to this place. She was singing and dancing and laughing, urging me to play with her. I couldn't seem to resist her charm and wiles. I followed her every whims like a puppet."

"Did she say anything else to you? Did she tell you who she really was?"

Keldarion frowned. "No, she didn't." Then, with deep fear in his eyes, he stared beseechingly at his brother. "Do you think something is wrong with me? Have I truly gone mad?"

Vehemently shaking his head, Legolas pulled Keldarion into his arms, embracing him consolingly. "No, you have not gone mad, or I would have already sensed it. Trust me, you are still sane and that something else is playing with your mind. I don't know what it is yet, but we shall find it out together."

As they pulled apart, Keldarion gave a wan smile. "Thank you. Looks like our roles have reversed somewhat."

Legolas chuckled. "You don't like it, eh?"

"Not in the least!" Keldarion responded with a laugh. "I'm used to protecting and comforting you, not the other way around. Lady Qestari or whoever the blasted maiden is must be laughing like crazy to see us like this…"

As soon as Keldarion finished the words, a strong gust of wind blew all around them, tugging hard at their hair and cloaks. As immediately as it started, the gale suddenly stopped, leaving the two brothers pale and trembling, hugging each other in fright.

"Such a foul mouth you have, Kel," Legolas dryly commented, releasing his death grip on his brother's tunic.

Keldarion weakly chuckled, his heart still racing. "All the better to kiss you with, my dear."

Finding no humor in his bother's teasing statement, Legolas quickly turned around and headed for the path that would lead the way out of the maze. Keldarion took a step to follow after him. But then he paused and gazed up at the statue.

The marble eyes seemed to be staring right into him.

"Kel!" Legolas called out from several yards away. "Come along, will you?"

Shrugging away the eerie feeling he received from that stares, Keldarion whirled around and fell into step beside his brother, feeling that the eyes were following their every move.

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Legolas shook his head as he watched his brother paced restlessly in front of the roaring hearth. "Are you sure you are not going to tell father about this?"

Keldarion stopped pacing and glared. "For the tenth time, the answer is still _no_."

"Fine." Legolas shrugged, dropping onto his stomach across his brother's bed, one palm placed under his chin. "But if you went naked into the garden again, just don't tell me I didn't warn you."

"That will _not_ happen again because I'm going to stay awake the entire night!" Keldarion replied hotly. "So there is no point in telling father about my shameful conduct last night. He will go livid!"

Trying to hide his smile, Legolas gazed in fascination at the myriad of emotions on his brother's face. There was embarrassment there, as well as anger and anxiety. As the day went by and night approached, Keldarion had become even more restless, fidgeting and squirming nervously like a prisoner nearing his execution. Not surprisingly, their father had noticed this.

"Kel, are you well? You look so quiet tonight," the king had asked at dinner.

Keldarion had nodded his head in reply, mumbling that he was completely fine.

Unconvinced, Thranduil pressed again. "Are you sure?  I heard that you did not join the daily patrol like usual. Why is that?"

Seeing the way Keldarion stumbled to give the king the appropriate answer, Legolas had jumped in to aid him, "Because he and I had something else to do today."

"Oh?" Thranduil turned his attention to his youngest son. "May I know what it was?"

"No!" Keldarion said, at the same time that Legolas answered, "Yes, we…"

The two brothers blinked at each other, glanced at their father once, and dropped their gazes back onto their dinner plates, growing instantly quiet.

Thranduil frowned at the strange exchange. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," his two sons answered simultaneously, smiling superficially bright as if they were hiding something—which they were.

 The king wanted to say more, but then Keldarion suddenly leaped off his seat and announced, "Please excuse us from the table, father. Good night." With that, he grabbed a fistful of the back of his brother's shirt and yanked him out of the chair. Legolas could only smile apologetically at Thranduil and let his elder brother drag him above stairs without complain.

Slightly dumfounded, the king of Mirkwood then turned to Commander Linden, the formidable looking warrior who sat on his left hand side. "What is the matter with those two?"

 Linden had to swallow a grin before replying, "I'm afraid I have no answer to that, my lord. And, truthfully, I feared to know."

Just as Legolas feared to know what Keldarion might do at midnight—which was only an hour away. "Come on, Kel. You cannot stay awake forever," he said.

"I will if I have to," Keldarion stubbornly replied.

"But if we told father, maybe he can help…"

"I told you, he must not know!" Keldarion snapped, advancing furiously towards the bed. "I'm already humiliated enough as it is. I don't need one more person to know what I've done."

"Kel, he's our father," Legolas said quietly. "You don't have to be ashamed to tell him about your problem."

"Oh. So it's a _problem_ now?" Keldarion glowered, his fists clasped about his waist. "Tell me, brother. Have I become demented? Do you think I've really, _truly_ lost my mind?!"

Legolas met his brother's eyes with a sharp glare of his own. "You are not making this easy, for me _and _yourself."

"I don't care if it's not easy for me. But if _you_ want to have it easy, why don't you go to your room and get some beauty sleep! I don't need you to wait on me!"

Legolas jumped off the bed and strode swiftly to the door. "Fine! I'll do just that! Give my regards to your lover!"

At that, he went out and slammed the door shut.

Groaning, Keldarion pinched the bridge of his nose, trying to bring his anger under control. He immediately regretted what had just occurred. His brother was innocent in all this, and yet he had yelled at him for no reason. He wanted to chase after Legolas, to say he was sorry and that he wanted to be waited upon while he sleep, but his pride wouldn't let him.

So he turned to check the door that led to the balcony, making sure that it was firmly locked, and continued to pace. It would be a long strenuous wait, but he would be damned if he went to sleep only to wake up naked after frolicking in the garden again.

So he waited.

An hour later, he was still wide awake, if a little tired and frustrated. Midnight had come and gone. To his surprise—and great relief—the seductive maiden didn't appear. Curious and somewhat vexed for all his unnecessary worrying, the prince threw opened the balcony door and peered outside.

The garden was empty and silent, just as he had expected. And to his absolute delight, it had begun to snow!

Gazing with a pleased smile at the lightly drizzling snow flakes, Keldarion instantly thought of his brother. Legolas had always liked snow. _He might want to see this_, he thought, a little guiltily. _I should wake him up and show this to him, and I will apologize for being such a cranky orc earlier._

He walked out of his chamber towards his brother's. After a brief knock, he pushed the door open and stepped inside.

"Legolas?" he quietly voiced out, expecting to see his brother deeply asleep in his bed.

But the bed was empty.

Keldarion's heart raced faster. His mind reeled. "No. Oh, no…"

Legolas was not in his room. But, there on the floor was Legolas' nightshirt, while his favorite boots stood side by side beside the bed.

And the door to the balcony was wide opened, letting the biting chill from outside to come streaming in.

Keldarion panicked. "Legolas!"****

**TBC….**


	4. 4

**Mellaithwen :**** I'm glad to be of service to all the maidens! He! He!**

**szhismine :**** You are right. They should tell Thranduil!**

**Hp-Azn : How do you know it's cold? Have you gone starkers in the snow before? (grinning evilly)**

**Fire Breathing Ferret : Your pal kidnapped Leggy again, didn't she? That makes...what? The third time now?**

**meisalliam :**** No. I just can't resist it.**

**Aranel of Mirkwood : Why not? It's fun, as long as we are not the one who is naked! Ha! Ha!**

**Young Storyteller : Get your hot cocoa out right now! Somebody's gonna need it!**

**Dur En Thurin Naur : Turn his lips blue? I sure will! And how about all over his delicious, scrumptious, beautiful butt? Err…I mean, body?**

**Legolas Greenleaf : I so love your alter ego! (I believe our tug of war is still not finish. Care to continue?)**

**Someone Reading : Yes, it was spooky. I wrote that scene in the middle of the night when suddenly, out of the silence, I heard someone scream from the house next door! You can imagine how startled I was! (I found out later that our neighbor found a big rat on her bed! Oh, gross!)**

**Deana :**** Leggy went out for some snacks? Uh, not very likely.**

**Thanks to all those wonderful reviews that I'm not able to respond! You guys are awesome!**

**##########################################################**

"Legolas!"

Keldarion rushed to the balcony and made a quick search of the garden from there. He saw nothing out of the ordinary, except for the snow quickly accumulating on the ground. And there was no sign of his brother.

"Ai, Legolas, where are you?" the prince wondered out loud, scratching his head.

Then, a sudden thought came to his mind. He quickly grabbed the balcony rail and vaulted over, landing nimbly on the damp earth below. He started running towards the maze, firmly believing that he would find Legolas there, repeating the incident that had occurred last night.

But to his extreme puzzle and alarm, only the statue stood alone at the heart of the maze. The wet marble gleamed in the pale moonlight. There was nothing to indicate that Legolas had been there.

Keldarion grew even more frantic. "Where could he possibly be?"

He stared at the statue, frowning. "Do you have anything to do with this?" he growled, not expecting an answer, and would have bolted in fright if the statue _did_ respond.

Not brave enough to find out, Keldarion spun on his heels and ran out of the maze. He began to explore every inch of the garden, trying to find his missing brother, grumbling all the while. "Valar only knows where the brat is," he muttered, searching through the thick bush under a giant oak tree before heading towards the gazebo. Legolas was not there, either.

Even though he felt that something was indeed very wrong, Keldarion couldn't help but suspect that this was just a prank, and that his brother was only toying with him. "He might be hiding somewhere up in the palace, laughing his head off to see me running around like a madman! Grrr!"

He grasped one of the pillars of the gazebo and squeezed, imagining that it was his brother's neck. "Wait till I get my hands on that insolent elfling and I…Ai Elbereth! Legolas!"

With a soft cry of alarm, Keldarion hastily jumped off the gazebo and dashed across the lawn for the fish pond a hundred yards away. His sharp eyes had caught sight of someone lying facedown in the water, and he had no doubt that it was his younger brother.

"Legolas!"

Keldarion jumped into the pond. The water only came to his waist, and he waded through it to get to Legolas who lay so still among the tall grass that grew thick near the bank. After much difficulty, slipping and sliding against the muddy bottom, Keldarion reached his brother and turned him over, gasping in dismay to see the bluish tinge on Legolas' skin.

"Oh, Valar…Legolas, Legolas. Answer me, please," Keldarion pleaded as he brushed the curtain of sodden hair away from his brother's face, repeatedly patting Legolas' numb cheek. He received no response. Legolas' eyes remained close.

Keldarion was thankful to note that his brother was still breathing, but just barely. The elder prince knew he must act quickly and get Legolas into the warmth of the palace before his brother succumbed much deeper into the cold. He also noticed that Legolas had somehow tangled himself with the tall wild grass. They were all over him, knotting around his arms and bare chest.

Cradling his brother in one arm, Keldarion used his other hand to yank and whack the encumbering plant away. As soon as Legolas was free, Keldarion gathered him up and climbed over the bank before rushing back towards the palace.

Knowing that he had no time to spare, Keldarion avoided the main staircase. He simply scaled up the wall and leaped onto his balcony. He quickly spread a blanket on the floor, right in front of the roaring hearth, before putting his brother down. Next, he dashed to the closet and took out more blankets to wrap Legolas in.

A while later, Keldarion was sitting as close as he dared to the hearth, adding more kindle into the flame. Legolas lay unresponsive in his arms, cocooned by layers of warm blankets to his chin. Legolas' long hair trailed over his brother's arm, still damp even after Keldarion had vigilantly toweled it dry.

Legolas' wet leggings had been stripped off him and the garment lay in small puddle on the floor nearby. Keldarion had been aghast to see the cuts and abrasions all over his brother's body, a 'gift' from his encounter with the wild coarse grass. But that was not what worried Keldarion the most. It was Legolas' stillness that told him how near to death his brother was—if not from drowning, but definitely from exposure. He wasn't even shivering! And that was certainly a bad sign.

"Faster, my lady. Faster…"

Keldarion nearly jumped a foot when Legolas suddenly spoke. He peered down at his brother's face, calling softly, "Legolas?"

Legolas' eyes fluttered open then. He stared dazedly back at Keldarion, confused. "What do you want?"

"What do I…?" Keldarion sputtered. "I'm worried to death about you and you ask me what I want?"

"Go away. I'm trying to sleep."

Legolas turned his face to the side and continued to doze. Keldarion was having none of that. He repeatedly patted his brother's cheek. "Oh no, you don't! I've waited long enough for you to wake up!"

With a snarl of oath, Legolas came awake once more and glared at his brother. "Get lost, will you?! Go back to your room!"

"This _is_ my room!"

Legolas blinked. "What?" He looked around him, puzzled. "But…how did I get here?"

Then he realized the state he was in, wrapped in layers of blanket and lying on his brother's lap. Without looking, he knew he was naked underneath. He blanched.

"Ai! What the blazes have happened?" Legolas cried out, struggling to yank the blankets down. But he hastily pulled the warm fabric back over his shoulders when he started to shiver violently from the cold, his teeth chattering.

"Can't you guess?" Keldarion responded, smiling ruefully at his brother's wild panic.

Legolas felt the blood drain off his face. "D…Don't tell me I went out n…naked to dance around that b…blasted statue!"

"No. It was even worse."

Now Legolas felt as if he wanted to die. "You mean, I d…danced around naked in front of…a…a real life m…maiden?"

Keldarion couldn't stop himself from chuckling then. "Well, not _that _bad, but…" With a huge sigh of relief, he hugged his brother tight. "Valar! You could have drowned. I thought you were about to die!"

"Kel…ease up." Struggling for breath, Legolas pushed him away. "What…what…r…really happened? And why am I…sh…shivering?"

And so Keldarion told him everything, in vivid details, leaving Legolas wide-eyed in horror. "Good Lord!" he gasped out loud after Keldarion finished explaining. "What the…b…blazes was I doing in the…p…pond?"

"How should I know?" Keldarion responded with a shrug. "Don't _you_ remember anything?"

Legolas shook his head, his mind numb. "Did I try to kill…m…myself?"

"I won't think that was the case because just now, before you woke up, you said something that totally freaked me out."

"What did I say?" Legolas asked, looking up at his brother.

" 'Faster, my lady. Faster,' " Keldarion answered with a sly grin.

Legolas blinked. Stupefied. "Why would I tell her to go faster?"

"Who knows? Maybe you were doing something _very_ naughty then," said Keldarion as he grinned wider, his eyebrows wiggling.

"Very funny," Legolas said, blushing. "But I'm not the one who ran around…n…naked in the garden, humping a…s…statue."

Now it was Keldarion's turn to go red in the face. "Do I have to gag you to stop you from mentioning _that_ again?"

"No. You can just simply…b…brush me off and tell me to leave you alone," Legolas softly replied, his eyes gleamed with hurt.

Keldarion sighed. He almost forgot about their argument earlier. Leaning down to kiss Legolas' brow, the elder prince said, "I'm sorry, brother, for being such an ogre. You know what? I think you were right. We need to tell father about all this before things could get out of hand. I should have listened to you."

"Wait, wait. Did I hear that right?" Legolas said with a grin, cupping a hand behind his ear. "Wow. This is a first. Do you mind putting that in writing so I could…"

"Don't push your luck!" Keldarion laughed. He then stared quietly at his brother. "Valar. If I didn't come looking for you, you could have died out there! Buried under pile of snow for the entire season! Oh, Legolas. I was _this_ close in losing you!"

Legolas gripped one of his brother's arms, feeling the taut muscles tensing under his palm. "Easy, Kel. I'm fine, all right? Obviously, _something_ did happen. But I'm still here. I'm not that easy to get rid off."

Keldarion chuckled. "I wish."

"So, what do we do now?"

"Right now, all I want you to do is get some rest before you try to recall what had happened."

"_Rest_? But I'm fine!" Legolas protested, scrambling off Keldarion's lap and tried to get to his feet.

"Fine, my foot," Keldarion responded as he grabbed his brother. "Are you able to walk? Good. Now get on that bed and stay there until I'm sure that you are completely well."

Mumbling incoherently under his breath, Legolas gathered the blankets more securely around his shoulders and plodded heavily towards the bed. He had to admit, he was feeling quite lethargic. Besides, he was still freezing, but at least his teeth had stopped chattering.

He sighed in contentment as his head landed on the pillow, lying in full stretch on top of the downy mattress. "What do you think we should do after this?" he softly muttered as his eyes began to glaze over.

"I will tell you later," Keldarion answered, stroking his brother's head. "But first, go to sleep."

There was no respond from the other prince. Legolas had already drifted to dreamland.****

**Tbc****…**


	5. 5

**Mellaithwen :**** I know _one_ maiden who doesn't like that chapter. ME! Because I wasn't in there!**

**Meisalliam :**** No one will get lost again…in this story, at least.**

**Fire Breathing Ferret : Knock! Knock! Is that you in the cupboard, ferret! Want me to lock you in from outside?**

**szhismine :**** They will try to tell Big Daddy. But will Daddy listen?**

**Lady Lenna : No. He only dances naked in front of me. Author's privileges. He! He!**

**Legolas' Garden Light : Calm? Who says it is calm? More cliffies up ahead!**

**The Cheese Turkey : Yes, I read the Mellon Chronicles. But where in Arda has Cassia been hiding to? I haven't seen her works in months!**

**Legolas Troy Gurl : In this story, Leggy's age is equivalent to human's twenty year old while Keldarion is thirty.**

**Someone Reading : Wit and sarcasm? You should see _my_ siblings. Loads and loads of sarcasm and a bucketful of wit, especially when you didn't need it! But I love them anyway.**

**Dur En Thurin Naur : Evil you! Now you get me thinking about Thranduil dancing naked in the garden! Ha! Ha! Ha!**

**astalder27 :**** Your lap? What about my lap? I repeat; I'm not sharing Leggy! (Sorry. Sounded a little possessive there, didn't I?)**

**Legolas Greenleaf : (Removes the wall and let LG fall down the cliff.) Bye, mellonnnnnn!**

**WitchofNZ :**** Thank you so much. I like it when someone could detect the nasty side of me. (I wanted to do more onto Leggy and Kel, but that means I have to switch this story into NC-17 to do that, and the FFnet won't ever allow it. Sigh…)**

**Rath :**** Hi! Glad you like my works! If you want to know when to start, I suggest you go to my biopage. There, you will find out that I've arranged the series to its chronological order. Or you can start from the earliest date. Go through the list to the very bottom of my biopage, and climb the way up from there. Happy reading!**

**Young Storyteller : You are evil, too! Which I so like! Uh…just hot cocoa? How about iced Milo for the author?**

**###########################################################**

The next time when Legolas woke up, everything came back to his mind in full clarity.

He instantly shot out of the bed, shouting, "I REMEMBER!"

Keldarion, who was dozing beside the bed, was so startled that he toppled over backwards onto the floor along with his chair. "Blast it!" he yelled, scrambling back to his feet. "Have you lost your bloody mind? What's the matter with you?"

"I remember it now," Legolas explained enthusiastically. "I remember all that had happened."

"Oh, really? But did you have to shout it out like that?" Keldarion grumbled as he rubbed his smarting backside. "And can't you wait until morning?"

Legolas glanced outside. "But it _is_ morning…I think. There's too much snow to actually tell."

Keldarion righted his chair to its upright position. "Very well, then. Tell me what you remember. But first, cover yourself," he said with a crooked grin. "If any of the maidens saw you like this, they will tie you to their bed and never set you free!"

Legolas looked down, and blushed. He was totally and gloriously naked. With a grimace, he snatched the coverlet off the bed and wrapped it around his waist, glaring as Keldarion chuckled uncontrollably.

"You know, you look good naked," Keldarion teased, repeating Legolas' exact words from yesterday. "You are what the maidens would call 'scrumptious'. From the way they keep mooning over you wherever you go, I would be surprised if you told me that you are still a virgin."

Legolas grew even redder, as red as a ripe tomato. His mouth opened and closed repeatedly like a fish, glowering at his brother.

Keldarion's eyes widened when he finally understood. "Good God! You still are, aren't you?"

"Am I still what?!"

"A virgin?"

"I'm not going to answer that question!"

"Hot blast! You _are_ a virgin!"

"Will you shut up?!"

"Oh, I will certainly not! This is too good to…"

With a loud roar, Legolas leaped and tackled his brother to the floor. Keldarion couldn't stop laughing as they grappled about, pinning and pushing at each other. The blanket flew off Legolas in the wild struggling, leaving him completely in the buff.

And that was how the servant found them when he suddenly entered the chamber.

"Uh…your highnesses?"

The two princes ceased moving at the quiet voice. They looked up to see the great astonishment on the poor servant's face.

"Yes?" Keldarion and Legolas asked simultaneously, hands still wrapped around each other's throat.

Blinking, the servant stared and gulped nervously, clearly noticing Legolas' nude state and the foolish grin on Keldarion's face. "I…I was…well…Err…Never mind. I'll come back later."

The servant hastily turned around and escaped, looking as if some demented elves were hot on his heels…which was not that far from the truth.

Legolas groaned out loud. "Ai. There goes my good reputation."

Keldarion snorted. "Reputation? I'm not aware you have any!"

Muttering an oath, Legolas raised his hand to swipe the back of his brother's head, but Keldarion moved quickly out of the way. "Get back under the covers," he told Legolas as he walked towards the door. "I'll go and get you your clothes from your room. After that, you can tell me what you've recalled about last night."

A half hour later, Legolas was fully clothed and was eating a late breakfast that the servant had just brought in. To his relief, it was a different servant, not the one who had seen him in all his…err…naked glory earlier.

"You were right. She was a beauty," Legolas said with his mouth full, munching on a toast. "I had just fallen asleep when she suddenly came to my bed and woke me up, asking me to come out and play in the garden with her."

"And you just followed her wishes?" Keldarion asked with a frown. He put down his empty cup back onto the tray.

Legolas shrugged before he sipped his tea. "Like you've said, it was hard to resist her. She was all charms and smiles. I was so captivated by her I wasn't thinking straight."

"Actually, you rarely think straight in your entire lifetime," Keldarion glibly responded, causing his brother to glare back at him in annoyance. "So, what happened afterwards?"

Still glowering, Legolas snapped, "We didn't make love, if that what you are truly asking. Maybe she found me too _inexperienced_ for her taste, with me being a blasted virgin and all!"

Keldarion laughed hard, nearly falling off his chair. He tried to control his mirth but when he took one look of his brother's sullen expression, he couldn't help himself and broke into laughter all over again.

Legolas rolled his eyes. "Right. Ha. Ha. Ha. I'm so glad you are enjoying this!" he fumed, his arms crossed over his chest.

"So…sorry, Legolas," Keldarion gasped, wiping the tears of his eyes, still chuckling. "I didn't mean to offend you but…" He took a deep breath for composure and tried again, "If you have…uh…_relationship_ problems with the maidens, why didn't you just tell me? I can help."

Legolas threw his hands up in the air. "This is not about me and the maidens! _Hel__-lo_! This is about _the_ maiden! The one who disturbed our sleep? Remember?!"

Keldarion blinked. "Oh. Of course. I guess we have gone _way_ off track here, haven't we?"

"_You_ sure have," Legolas said, giving his brother a sidelong glance. "Anyway, the lady didn't take me to the statue in the maze. I'm glad for that because I would hate to repeat your 'magnificent' performance of that night."

Before Keldarion managed to respond, Legolas quickly continued, "She pulled me to the fish pond instead, saying that she loved to have a swim."

"But it was freezing! How did you stand the cold?" Keldarion was incredulous.

"I didn't feel the cold at all. I knew I saw the snowflakes, but I didn't seem to register what it meant. I was aware of only her; her eyes, her voice, her laughter. She even asked me to race her in the pond."

"Ah." Keldarion finally understood. "You were racing each other. That's why you told her to go faster."

"Exactly." Legolas nodded. "I thought I was being a gentleman, you know, cheering her up to best me, foolish though it may sound. But one thing was really strange. She didn't get all wet like I had. It was as if she was water resistant."

Keldarion held his chin and pondered. What Legolas just told him confirmed what he already suspected; the mysterious maiden was trying to seduce them into madness.

"What are we to do?" Legolas asked quietly. "Is it really a good idea to tell father about this?"

Releasing a heavy sigh, Keldarion stood and walked towards the door that led to the balcony. Leaning against the doorjamb, he stared at the white scenery outside. "We might lose our pride, looking like a fool if we do so. But our life is more valuable. You nearly died last night, that's for sure. And I don't want that to happen again. So father must be told. He might know what to do. But I'm still worried about one thing, though."

"What?" Legolas asked, standing next to his brother.

"What if father didn't take us seriously? What if he thought we have totally lost our mind?"

#########################################################

Thranduil didn't think that his sons' had lost their mind. In fact, he wasn't even there to begin with.

"What do you mean, he is not here?" Legolas demanded to know from the servants who were straightening up the king's grand chamber. "He _should_ be here."

The servants could not provide them the appropriate answers, so Keldarion and Legolas went to search for their father in the hall of council and the king's study, but Thranduil was nowhere to be found.

"Come. Let's go find Linden and ask him where father is," Keldarion suggested.

They found the commander at the front courtyard, giving a briefing to the royal guards. The two princes waited until he finished before they hounded him with questions.

"Where's our father?"

"He has gone missing!"

"Has something happen to him that we should know about?"

Bemused, the commander stared at the brothers. "Don't you know?"

"What?"

"The king has left for Rivendell early at dawn. Lord Elrond has asked for his attendance in a conference of the lords. I thought you would know. I heard him informing you of this at dinner last night."

Keldarion and Legolas glanced at each other, their shoulders slumped. They could barely recall what they ate at dinner, let alone what their father had told them.

"He has gone to Rivendell?" Legolas was clearly disappointed.

"Yes, your highness. He took Jaden and ample guards with him, if his safety is what's concerns you."

"Well, then. We are glad to know he's fine. Thank you for telling us," Keldarion said and started pulling his brother away.

Linden frowned. "Your highnesses? Is something the matter?"

Keldarion and Legolas exchanged looks, sending some strange eye gestures between them, and finally shook their heads. "No, Linden. Everything is fine," the elder prince answered for them both.

Linden was still not convinced. But he kept his silence and watched as the Mirkwood princes walked away with heavy steps. _What is wrong with those two?_

Meanwhile, Keldarion and Legolas were pondering at one same question; _What__ should we do now?_****

**TBC….**


	6. 6

**Aranel of Mirkwood : Your muse is still a virgin? Good for him! Can I be his 'explorer'? (grins evilly)**

**Sailor Elf : Tell me! Who is that someone?**

**szhismine :**** Lucky…oops…_poor_ servant indeed!**

**Dur En Thurin Naur : I'm sorry but no, we are not going to see the council. It's a very formal and top secret affair. No naked princes allowed!**

**astalder :**** No way! Orcs are also not allowed in this story!**

**LegolasTroyGurl :**** Your brothers are triplets? Wow! Kiss everyone one of them for me! On their cheeks, I mean…**

**Legolas Greenleaf : Yes, I did received it! It's gorgeous! THANK YOU! How about some more?**

**Nessa Thranduiliel : The farther away from the statue, the crazier they'll get. He! He!**

**Legolas Garden Light : I believe this story might take only 8 chapters long.**

**Althelas :**** I can't wait for 'Cell No 8' too. Thanks for the info.**

**Fire Breathing Ferret : You and your cupboard. Sigh…**

**Laire Eryn : Some of the readers told me that Cassia is moving and will be back on board soon. How soon? Err...donno.**

**Someone Reading : You are completely correct! Being a virgin is not something to be ashamed of. Look at me. I'm already 29 and still possess that…uh…'maiden head'. (Of course, my social life is a complete zero compared to all my friends who already have family and kids of their own.)**

**Karina :**** Oh my God! You are back! I'm so happy to hear from you again. Thank you for everything. To answer your question; No, Qestari is not Tolkien's but a product of my wild imagination. The great professor might disapprove of my abusing his original works (Sorry, Professor T!)**

**################################################**

"That thing doesn't look much like her, does it?" Legolas stated as they stared at the statue of Qestari.

Keldarion's eyes were sharp, not missing a thing. "They didn't get her hair right. Hers is only shoulder length, not that long. And the breasts are too big."

Glancing sideways at his brother, Legolas grinned. "Trust you to notice _that_ above all things!"

Keldarion glared in warning, but Legolas didn't seem to care. Laughing mischievously, the younger prince leaped onto the low pedestal where the statue stood. "Let me demonstrate what you did that night," he exclaimed and hugged the marble structure. Then he started to moan, "Oh, my love! Oh…Oh! Ahh…."

Steams seemed to be coming out of Keldarion's ears as he watched Legolas' display. "Will you get down from there!" he shouted, embarrassed, his face already turning red. "I swear I'll…!"

Chuckling, Legolas jumped off the statue as Keldarion made a grab for him. "You know, Kel? I think we must do something before both of us lost our mind," Legolas said, suddenly getting serious.

Keldarion tilted his head as he gazed questioningly at his brother. "Apart from telling father, what do you suggest we do?"

Legolas nodded towards the statue. "Let's get rid of it."

Eyes widening, the elder prince stared in disbelief. "You mean, wreck the statue?"

"Sure. That would be fun, wouldn't it?" Legolas was crunching his knuckles as he glared at the marble nymph. "This thing sure gives me the creeps."

"Legolas, need I remind you that _that_ statue is over two thousands years old and is considered quite valuable to our people?"

"I know that but who cares?" Legolas replied and started to put his weight against the statue. "Come on, Kel. Help me push her over. With this thing gone, you won't have to…uh…_ride_ her again."

Keldarion groaned. "Will you stop talking about that blasted incident? If you don't, I swear I'll tie you to a tree, upside down!"

"Stop whining and give me a hand!" Legolas said as he pushed. "It's heavy."

Rolling his eyes, Keldarion gave in. He leaned next to his brother, bracing his shoulder against the statue. Together, they shoved with all their might.

It wouldn't move even an inch.

"With this…thing…gone…doesn't mean…the lady won't come…seducing us…again," Keldarion said, huffing and puffing with the effort. Legolas opened his mouth to reply, but someone else suddenly chose that moment to intervene.

"YOUR HIGHNESSES! WHAT IN ARDA IS THE TWO OF YOU DOING?"

The two brothers went still. They blinked repeatedly back at Linden who had suddenly appeared to stare incredulously at them from several yards away. There was an expression of great astonishment on the elven commander's face, as well as amusement and concern.

"Again, I ask, what exactly are you doing?" Linden repeated as the princes kept staring at him, still mute.

"We…We are…uh…_exercising_?" Legolas supplied sheepishly.

Keldarion rolled his eyes at that, muttering an oath under his breath.

"That surely didn't look like exercising to me," Linden responded, his gaze sharp as he eyed the brothers up and down. "Now, tell me truthfully. What are you up to?"

Slightly daunted by the commander's penetrating gaze, Legolas took a step back and hid behind his brother. "_You_ tell him," he urged in a whisper, poking Keldarion in the ribs.

Keldarion swiveled his head and glared. "Why me?" he whispered back.

"Because you are the eldest," came Legolas' reply, much to Keldarion's exasperation.

"And what is that suppose to mean?" the elder prince growled.

"That means, it's your responsibility to get us out of this mess!"

"Oh, really? What of _your_ responsibility?"

"Me? I don't have any."

"Easy for you to say…"

"Your highnesses!"

Keldarion and Legolas visibly jumped at the commander's sudden shout. After briefly closing his eyes for composure, Linden then said, "You still haven't answered my question."

Feeling incredibly foolish, Keldarion still managed to raise his head slightly higher and met Linden's gaze. A powerful warrior himself, the elder prince couldn't remember the last time he had felt like the guilty little boy who got caught with his hand in the cookie jar, being chastised and scolded at by the elders.

"We did nothing wrong," Keldarion softly replied. "We were just fooling around, that's all."

Linden was silent for a long while afterwards. He regarded the two princes thoughtfully, slightly frowning. The brothers were behaving weirder and weirder by the minute. When they came to him that morning asking about their father, Linden had sensed that something was terribly bothering them.

And when the brothers had kept themselves locked in Legolas' chamber for the entire day, neglecting their daily sword practice and other duties, the commander knew that something was indeed very, very wrong. So he had decided to follow after them and find out what they were doing. Never had he thought to discover the two princes trying to bring down the statue of Qestari.

"I see," Linden finally said when he actually didn't.

"Good." Keldarion grabbed Legolas' wrist and yanked. "I believe they had prepared the afternoon tea, so we had better return to the palace."

Legolas let his brother drag him towards the path that would lead them out of the maze. The younger prince even flashed a big smile at Linden when they walked pass him.

But the commander suddenly called out once more, "She came to you, didn't she?"

The two brothers stopped dead in their tracks. They immediately whirled around and stared open mouthed at the commander.

"How did you…?"

Keldarion quickly clapped a hand over Legolas' mouth before his brother could say more, his eyes never leaving Linden's face. "What exactly are you talking about?" the elder prince asked, ignoring his brother who was struggling to get his mouth free.

"I think you know what I'm talking about, your highness," Linden calmly said. "Did she or didn't she come to you?"

"Who?" Legolas asked after he slapped Keldarion's hand away.

"The nymph."

Keldarion glanced at his younger brother. Legolas stared back at him in equal surprise. Then they turned to the commander and simultaneously asked, "How did you know?"

"I lived longer than you both, my princes. I know many things," Linden said with a shrug, walking closer towards them. "I can see that something about the statue is bothering the both of you, and I can think of only one reason why it upsets you this way."

Keldarion exchanged another glance with his brother before he sighed heavily. "Linden, we need to talk."****

**TBC...**

**I won't be here until Tuesday, so stay tuned!**


	7. 7

**meisalliam :**** Your wish is my command!**

**Aranel of Mirkwood : How the heck Linden knows? Err…I don't know! Do you know?**

**Fire Breathing Ferret : Where do you think Linden get the costume?**

**Sailor Elf : O-ho! Your Leggy has a sister, hmm? Nanaylia. Nice name!**

**szhismine :**** Okay! Okay! It's Tuesday today so here I am!**

**LegolasTroyGurl :**** God, I wished I could meet your brothers! I mean, they are triplets! I'm sucker for twins, you know. And one of them is named Hunter? Cool! Very masculine. (Tell him I said so!)**

**Someone Reading : Thank you for understanding. (But my grandmother completely does not! She always nags and nags about my single status, urging me to get married as soon as possible, as if getting a husband was as easy as buying fruits from the supermarket…sigh)**

**Becky Greenleaf : Hello and welcome! You want me to give Thranduil and Linden a chance to dance naked around the statue? We'll see.**

**Enigma Jade : Here's more Linden for you!**

**Young Storyteller : You are down with flu? So am I! Ini semua jerebu punya pasal la! My throat hurts, my head hurts. Grrr. (Thankfully, that B-grade movie was not a Malay movie. Speaking of Malay movies, have you watched Pontianak Harum Sundal Malam? I haven't the chance. Was it good?)**

**################################################**

The fire was crackling merrily in the big hearth, providing the only sound for the room.

Linden and the Mirkwood princes were sitting in the parlor of the commander's quarters. Keldarion had just finished telling the elder elf of their adventure the past two nights. And now the two brothers were looking anywhere but at Linden, deeply embarrassed.

With a sigh, Linden stood and poured more tea into Keldarion's empty cup. "Was that why you were looking for the king? You wanted to tell him about the nymph, didn't you?"

Keldarion nodded his thanks. He took a sip before answering. "Yes. We wish father could help us, somehow."

Linden returned to his seat opposite the brothers and shook his head. "I'm afraid he will not completely understand all this, your highness."

The princes were puzzled. "Why did you say that?" Legolas asked.

"Because he is a Sindarin, not a Silvan."

At that, the two brothers exchanged uncomprehending looks.

"I don't get it," Keldarion said. "What does it have to do with anything?"

Linden smiled a knowing smile. "A Sindarin will never experience what we have gone through, my princes. The nymph only comes to visit the Silvan elves, like us."

Legolas raised his hand. "Excuse me? I have a question."

Amused, Linden turned to the younger prince.

"I know that both of us are part Silvan from our mother's side while our father is a full blooded Sindarin, but I don't understand why the nymph chose her victims that way. Why only the Silvans? Why not the Sindarins?"

Linden smiled wider. "There _is_ a reason for that, your highness. But it is a long story."

Keldarion shrugged. "Can you make it longer? I mean, we won't mind staying awake the whole night to hear it."

Chuckling, Linden stood. "I will tell you all of it, your highnesses. But before that, please allow me to accompany you to the dining room. I believe my cooks have dinner already prepared. After we are completely sated, I will tell you everything."

As the brothers followed after him, Linden added under his breath, "This is certainly going to be a _long_ night."

Over an hour later, the three of them were back in the parlor.

Linden added more kindling into the flame, staring into the fiery blaze thoughtfully. "All right, then. Where should I begin?"

"How about from the beginning?" Legolas suggested, sitting at the edge of his seat as he waited impatiently to know the entire truth. "Start talking, Linden. You are making me antsy."

Keldarion frowned at his brother. "Will you calm down? Linden is not going anywhere." Then the elder prince turned to the commander. "If you don't start talking now, I will beat you to a pulp and choke the story out of you, so speak!"

Linden laughed out loud then. He could see how impatient and anxious the princes were to hear his story, but he had deliberately stalled, taking his own sweet time to do so.

"Very well, my princes. I will tell you," Linden responded. "But first, do you know how the nymph got her name?"

Legolas stared back at him. "No. But I'm sure you are going to tell us."

Smiling, Linden continued, "She was called Qestari because of the nature of her appearances. In the ancient tongue of Eldar, Qestari means 'midnight'."

"Ah." Keldarion nodded. "The midnight lady. Figures."

"But why did she choose to come to us at midnight?" Legolas asked.

Linden grew a little sad. "Based on the legend, that was the time when her lover was killed."

Hearing that, the brothers went still, uttering not a word.

"Nobody knows her exact age," Linden said. "But I believe that she is a lot older than all of us. As you have already known, Qestari is playful and mischievous. She basks herself in joy and pleasure, a wild sprite who never knew sorrow of any kind…until the day she fell in love.

"He was not of her kind. In fact, he was an elf—a great Silvan warrior of these woods, thousands of years before your sire's arrival. He was known as a person with a very black past. He never smiled. Joy was an alien word to him. He only knew how to kill in order to survive. Qestari had vowed to change that in him.

"She did everything in her power to see him laugh and smile, to know happiness. And most of all, to teach him about love. She seduced him over and over until he gave in. With her beauty and persistence, it didn't take him long to fall in love with her. But then, when it comes to love, not everything is rosy.

"Someone was jealous of them. A male kin to Qestari did not approve of their relationship, saying that elves and nymphs do not mix. The male nymph challenged the elven warrior into combat, to prove his love to her. Little did the warrior knew, the male nymph was ten times more powerful than he was. The warrior did not survive the battle.

"He died at midnight with the full moon as witness, her name the last word he uttered. Qestari was very devastated. But as a joyful sprite, she was not allowed to grief. So she made another vow. She would seduce and entice every Silvan lad that caught her fancy so she could never forget the good times she had had with her warrior, her only true lover. She would never stop loving him. And to show it, to these Silvan lads she would pour all her love and devotion…even if it was for just one night."

As he finished, Linden turned to face the Mirkwood princes. They were staring back at him, looking slightly entranced with the story. Ever the tender hearted, Legolas even had tears in his eyes. "Wow," he breathed out softly.

Keldarion looked at his brother and chuckled. "Are you going to cry, little brother? Aw. So sweet. Here. Lean on my shoulder."

"Buzz off!" Legolas pushed Keldaron away as he hastily wiped his tears.

Laughing, Keldarion flung an arm around his brother's shoulders and held him close. "I love you too, brat."

Shaking his head at the brothers' antics, Linden walked closer. "Would you like to spend the night here, your highnesses? I'm willing to stay up to watch over the both of you."

Keldarion frowned slightly. "Do you think she will come disturb us again tonight?"

 "We will see," came Linden's short reply, keeping one more information from them. He didn't tell them that the nymph visited her chosen Silvan lads only _once_ in their life.

_I will them later_, he thought in amusement. _Let them sweat for a while_.

As the commander turned to get his servants, Legolas suddenly called out, "You don't have to prepare the chambers for us, Linden. This room is appropriate enough."

Linden paused. "But there is no proper bed in here."

"The couch will do," Keldarion said, shoving his brother off the said couch and stretched fully onto his back.

"Hey!" Legolas complained as his rump hit the floor. "That is mine!"

"Sorry, imp," Keldarion replied with a grin. "Not anymore."

Before Legolas could leap and pummel Keldarion, Linden quickly intervened. "I'll prepare sleeping pallets for you, your highness. You will be comfortable even when lying on the floor."

"Thank you, Linden," Legolas responded, still glaring at his brother.

"My pleasure, your highness." Linden turned once more towards the door but, again, he was distracted. And this time, by Keldarion's voice.

"Uh…Linden, can I ask you a question?" the elder prince asked, carefully watching the commander's face. "Did Qestari ever come to you?"

To the princes' absolute shock, Linden's face turned bright red. The commander looked as if he wished to be somewhere else right then.

"She did, didn't she?" Legolas got very excited. He rushed to get to Linden's side. "What did you do? Ran around naked in the garden like Keldarion? Or did she take you for a swim like she did with me? What did you do, Linden? Come, tell me!"

Instead of answering, the commander snapped, "I'll get you the blasted blankets…your _highness_!" With that, he turned and fled.

Legolas stared dumbstruck at the empty doorway. "Did that just happen?" he muttered, turning to his brother, wide eyed. "Linden just ran. He actually, truly ran!"

Keldarion was laughing uncontrollably on the couch. "What say you if we find out what the nymph did to him?"

Legolas grinned wider, his eyes twinkling with mischief. "Yes. Let's grill him for answers!"

#######################################################

Linden peered around the door, and released a heavy sigh of relief. The two Mirkwood princes had already fallen asleep. Finally.

The commander tip-toed into the parlor and silently approached the sleeping brothers. Keldarion lay sprawled on the long couch, lightly snoring, while Legolas lay face down on the thick fur spread on the floor right next to the couch. The elder prince had his hand firmly entwined in his younger brother's long hair, whether to assure himself that Legolas would stay where he was, or maybe he was attempting to wrench the hair off his brother's scalp. Having known the princes since they were mere babies, Linden was sure that that gesture might mean both.

Smiling, Linden picked up the blankets the servants had provided and spread over both princes to their chins. Legolas stirred slightly and mumbled something, but he immediately drifted back into a deep sleep. Keldarion meanwhile had a peculiar smile on his face, and Linden would pay anything to know what the elder prince was dreaming of.

Feeling slightly guilty for leaving the brothers so abruptly before, Linden resisted the urge to kiss them both on their heads. He didn't want to disturb their peaceful slumber, or rather, he didn't want them to wake up and start interrogating him about his experience with the nymph. Oh, no. That would not do. They must not know. Knowing these two, they would laugh about it from here to Valinor!

So Linden had taken the coward way out. He had avoided the parlor the whole night, ordering the servants instead to provide the brothers with a set of chess board to keep them occupied. From the way the chess pieces lay scattered all over the floor, Linden understood that the game had not gone well…on Legolas' behalf, at least. Ever impatient and brash, Legolas always lost to his smart and logical elder brother. In the end, the two princes would try to defeat each other using brawn instead of brain, wrestling each other like crazy. Tired and contented at last, they now slept like the dead.

Linden shook his head as he picked up the scattered rooks and knights and placed them back inside their box. Then he poked at the fire in the hearth, adding more kindling into the flame before he settled himself in a chair near the couch.

It was already midnight, and he believed his wait would not be a long one. That was why he was not overly surprise when the door that led to the balcony slowly opened a while later.

Turning his gaze from the fire, Linden watched silently as an incredibly lovely lady dressed completely in white glided in from outside. Her silver hair fell in a riot of curls about her shoulders. There was a benevolent smile on her cherry red lips, and her big blue eyes were twinkling merrily as she gazed back at him.

"My darling Linden," she said softly in that musical voice of hers.****

**TBC…**


	8. 8

**Wow! So many speculations I received from you guys. Love them! Is it true that the nymph never come to Linden? Or has the nymph come to visit Linden the _second_ time? Is Linden her lover? O-oh. What's going on here?**

**Want to find out what the heck is really going on? Read on and you will see! **

**For your information, this is the finale!**

**############################################################**

"My darling Linden," she said softly in that musical voice of hers.

Linden calmly got to his feet, his eyes never wavering from her face. "Lady Qestari," he responded with a slight tilt to his head.

She smiled wider, almost laughing. "Why so formal, my valiant knight? Aren't you glad to see me?"

Linden clenched his fists as he tried to keep his desire for her under control. "Glad? _Annoyed_ is more like it," he curtly responded. "The younger one nearly died last night."

Qestari looked at the sleeping brothers and moved forward to approach them. Linden quickly got in front of her. "Enough toying with them, my lady. Let them sleep."

She chidingly clucked her tongue at him. "Linden, Linden. You know I come to them only once."

"But you came to me _more_ than once."

"Ah." She smiled and cupped his cheek in one palm. "But you are special to me, you know that too. You are so handsome, and you look so like him."

"I'm not my brother, my lady," he replied, stepping away from her touch. "Felagund is dead and can never be replaced."

Her face grew sad a little. "I'm completely aware of that, my darling. Still, your elder brother's blood runs in your veins. And that is enough for me to know that Felagund's soul is still alive in you."

Linden glanced at the Mirkwood princes and was relieved to note that they had not stirred in spite of the sound of her voice. "You still love him, even after all these years?" he asked quietly.

"Always," she answered. "How can you ask me that? Don't _you_ love him still?"

"Of course, I do! He died while I was still a small child, but he was the only brother I ever had."

"And he was my only true love," she said. "And nothing can change that."

"Even after you have had your fill of innocent lads and princes in your little playground of seduction and desire? Even after you had turned them into complete besotted fools, nearly killing one of them in the process?" Linden's voice came in a harsh whisper now. Miraculously, Keldarion and Legolas went on sleeping as if nothing was out of the ordinary.

She shrugged. "I can't help what I am, Linden. I'm a nymph. I seduce. I tempt. That's what I am. That's what I do." She gazed adoringly at Legolas. "I didn't mean to harm him. It's not in my nature to give the boys pain, only pleasure. I guess I got a little careless last night. But I've been watching Thranduil's sons for so long I know that they never failed to be there for each other. I knew Keldarion would go searching for his little brother and save him, like usual."

Turning back to Linden, the nymph gave him a sweet smile. "I won't disturb your precious princes again, my valiant knight. And as they are the youngest and last Silvans in this realm, I will stop coming entirely."

She raised her hand and trailed her fingers down Linden's chest. Kissing him in the lips, she softly added, "But I _will_ come back for you, darling Linden. And I know you want me to."

"I'm not my brother!" he hissed, catching her hand before it could roam south.

She chuckled. "No, you are not. That's why I'm beginning to fall deeply in love with you."

"You spoke of nonsense, my lady."

"Oh, was I?" She arched her eyebrow. "Tell me, Linden. Why do you remain unwed?"

Linden chose not to answer. He just stared at her with nary a word, his eyes dark and cloudy like a thunderstorm.

Smiling, the nymph finally retreated. "Very well, love. I won't press you. But remember, if you missed me, just call out my name and I will come to you."

With that, she steadily vanished into thin air. Only the cold breeze that came blowing through the opened balcony doors gave evidence that she had been there in the room.

His knees slightly shaking, Linden dropped into his chair and buried his face in his hands.

Outside, it was snowing heavily. But inside the warm dwelling, two noble princes were dreaming happy dreams, their sleep undisturbed, while a Silvan warrior kept a faithful vigil watching over them.

###################################################

"Come on, Linden! Tell us what she did to you," Legolas urged for the umpteenth time, dogging Linden's every step as they headed to the palace the next morning.

The commander gritted his teeth and tried to ignore the young prince. But Keldarion suddenly planted his feet in front of him, causing Linden to stop abruptly. "Come, Linden. Don't be shy," the elder prince said with a grin, his arms folded across his chest.

Linden rolled his eyes and muttered an oath. _I should have gagged them and tied them up while they were sleeping!_ he thought, exasperated with the brothers' incessant questionings. _Ai! They are insufferable!_

The moment they had woken up, Keldarion and Legolas had been pressing Linden for answers. They were not aware of what had transpired last midnight because Linden said not a word about it. But the brothers were still very curious to know about Linden's experience with the nymph in his youth. And they wouldn't stop bugging the poor commander until he told them.

"Will you tell us if I pulled rank on you?" Keldarion asked, cocking his eyebrows. "You wouldn't say no if I _commanded_ you to do so, would you?"

Linden glared. "I'd throw myself over the cliff first, your _extreme_ highness," he growled.

Keldarion lost his confident stance and eyed the commander warily. Legolas nudged him. "Kel, I think he is really, _really_ angry."

Glancing at his brother, Keldarion finally conceded. "All right, Linden. Please forgive us for being such a nuisance. We will not disturb you again." Grabbing Legolas' arm, Keldarion added, "You have a right to keep your experience to yourself. We understand."

Then the two brothers moved away, their heads bent and their steps heavy. Legolas even glanced with sorrowful eyes over his slumped shoulder at the commander.

Linden muttered another string of curses under his breath. He knew he had been duped, but he couldn't stand to see the forlorn expression on the brothers' face. That was his biggest weakness where the princes of Mirkwood were concern.

"All right! All right! I'll tell you!" Linden exclaimed, throwing his hands up in the air. Keldarion and Legolas' faces instantly brightened at that and they rushed back to Linden, bubbling with excitement.

"_But_," Linden said seriously. "Don't you _ever_ tell this to another soul, do you hear me? No one else must know. Not even the king."

The brothers nodded enthusiastically like two little kids about to be given some candies.

Linden looked to the left and right, making sure that no one was about in the palace courtyard except for them, and began to tell his tale.

Not long after, the two princes had collapsed to the ground, laughing helplessly like crazy hyenas.

Linden rolled his eyes and crossed his arms over his chest, waiting for the brothers to finish laughing their heads off. But it took a while until their laughter finally subsided. By then, Linden had already turned all kind of shades of red and purple.

"Have enough amusement, your highnesses? Want me to add more?" the commander asked sarcastically as he cast them a droll look.

"Oh…that's…that's all right, Linden," Keldarion gasped between fit of laughter as he helped his brother to his feet. "Enough already. My stomach feels like bursting!"

"I thought Keldarion's experience was funny. But yours was even funnier! Ha! Ha!" Legolas collapsed against his brother as he burst into laughter all over again. And of course, Keldarion instantly joined him.

How Linden wished he could jam his boots down their royal throats to shut them up.

"Do you know what's even funnier?" Linden voiced out with a sweet smile. "How about if I shave the both of you bald while you sleep?"

That had the immediate effect. Keldarion instantly sobered while Legolas swallowed his giggles, anxiously fingering his golden mane. Linden smiled. "Well, now that we understand one another, will you promise not to tell anyone about it?"

The brothers exchanged glances before they placed their right fist on their heart and exclaimed, "We will tell no one! Prince's honor!"

Linden couldn't help it. His mouth twitched before he also broke into laughter. "Valar! That was the most embarrassing moment in my life! I couldn't even look at that poor lad again without wishing I was dead!"

"Where is he now? Does he still work as your groom?"

The commander had the grace to look sheepish. "Not anymore. I've sent him to Valinor on the first boat I found the next day!"

"Poor chap," Keldarion said with a shake of his head. "He must have had nightmares afterwards."

"Well, who wouldn't?" Legolas said, grinning. "I know _I_ would if I woke up from deep sleep only to find Linden riding on my back, urging and spurring me onward as if I were a wild mearas!"

Linden swung an arm around Legolas' neck and squeezed good naturedly. "I'll _give_ you nightmares if you repeat that to anyone!"

"I promised not to, didn't I? You don't have to kill me to keep it a secret," Legolas responded with a roll of his eyes. "But please excuse me if I have to laugh again. It was _very_ funny. You went out for a ride with Qestari, but ended up riding your own groom instead? Hah!"

"I'm still curious," Keldarion voiced out, grinning widely. "Were you not aware that you were not on an actual horse?"

Linden grimaced. "She always has this knack for covering our eyes with illusions. Most of what we saw was not real. She plays with our mind and emotion, which make her very powerful."

"And dangerous," Keldarion added, glancing at Legolas as he remembered his brother's near death.

Chuckling, Linden put a hand on Keldarion's shoulder. "Worry no more, my prince. That will be the last time either of you saw her. She only came to us only once in our lifetime."

_Except for me_, Linden added in his thought. After that 'horse' ride, Qestari had repeatedly come to him to take him stargazing, swimming, dancing and…well…doing _other_ intimate activities that he would not dare mention to the Mirkwood princes. Those memories would remain his greatest secret.

They proceeded into the palace, and were greatly surprised to see King Thranduil already waiting in the dining hall, about to have his breakfast. His face broke into a smile when he saw them. "There you are!" the king exclaimed. "Where have you two been? I'm beginning to concern."

"Father!" both princes cried out in relief and rushed forward. They grabbed the startled king into their arms and hugged him tight.

"What the…!" Thranduil was perplexed, nearly choking on his pudding. "What is the matter with you two? Please, stop squeezing my ribs! Have you two gone mad?"

They let their father go and eyed him up and down. "Are you well?" Keldarion asked. "We thought you went off to Rivendell yesterday. How do you come to be here?"

"Has something happened?" Legolas intervened, his eyes widened. "Did she…did she came to you last night?"

"Of course, she didn't!" Keldarion told his brother. "Father is a Sindarin, remember?"

Legolas blinked. "Oh, right. I forgot."

"What in Arda are you talking about?" Thranduil glanced between his sons. "Who is _she_?"

"No one!" the princes answered simultaneously, looking so innocent that it was almost comical.

Frowning, the king turned to Linden who stood watching in amusement. "Linden, do you know what's wrong with these two?"

"I have no idea," Linden said with a shrug. "Too much playing around with the Qestari statue in the maze, I guess. Maybe she has put a curse upon their heads."

The brothers glared at the commander, daring him to say more on the subject. Linden wisely clamped his mouth shut, but it twitched dangerously with mirth.

Thranduil was puzzled by his sons' obvious discomfort. "The Qestari…?"

"Never mind him," Keldarion quickly said. "Tell me, when did you get back? I thought you have a conference to attend."

After taking a gulp of his tea, Thranduil explained, "I just returned before dawn. We have to turn back. The pass is completely blocked. It is still too early in the season but the snow was so thick that…"

The king kept talking about his cancelled trip and of the strong blizzard that hit them in the middle of the way, but the two brothers were no longer listening. They were just glad that their father had returned safe and unharmed, and that he had no idea of the strange incidents that his sons had gone through the last several days. So they joined him at the dining table and ate their second breakfast for that day as Linden took his leave, smiling secretively at them.

"So," Thranduil suddenly voiced out after a long companionable silence. "Apart of killing each other, what have the two of you been doing while I was gone yesterday?"

"We were at the maze, trying to get rid of the statue," Legolas instinctively answered without thinking.

"_Legolas_!" Keldarion burst out loud, glaring at his brother.

The younger prince blinked, his spoon lay suspended in mid-air. "Oops. I shouldn't have said that."

"Oh, you think?" Keldarion felt like wringing his brother's neck. This was the second time that Legolas nearly gave their secret away.

"All right! That's it!" Thranduil threw his napkin onto the table. "What are the two of you hiding from me?"

"Nothing," the brothers meekly answered, eyeing their father warily as they rose and moved away from the table.

"Excuse me, father. I think I had better go to the training field for my sword practice," said Keldarion before he fled.

"Me too!" Legolas stated and ran after his elder brother.

Thranduil was frowning, deep in thought, after his sons had left. _Hmm. Something definitely wrong is actively brewing here. They won't tell me about it, but that's fine. I will find out what it is, sooner or later._

And that turned out to be much sooner than he expected.

"LEGOLAS! KELDARION!" Thranduil was heard yelling repeatedly the next day from his eldest son's chamber.

Hearing that, the two princes instantly came running from the dining hall below stairs, leaving their breakfast untouched. "Yes, father?" the brothers asked as they burst into the room. They froze to see the great astonishment on their father's reddening face.

"_That_," Thranduil said, pointing at something lying on Keldarion's bed. "What the blazes is _that_?"

"What is it, father?" Keldarion was puzzled. He stepped forward to take a good look. "What are you…?" And then he began to curse when he finally saw what had caught his father's attention.

"Why you little...!" Keldarion whirled around with murder in his eyes. To his complete disbelief, his brother had vanished. "LEGOLAS! I could kill you for this!"

Before Keldarion could go chase after his brother, Thranduil grabbed his arm and firmly held him back. "Explain," he ordered.

As he had no other choice in the matter, Keldarion weakly nodded with a defeated sigh. "Believe me, father. I didn't know he would do this," he said, plopping himself onto the bed. "When we met downstairs just now, he told me he made something 'special' for me, but I didn't know that it would be _this_! I mean, who would have thought that he…that I…Valar! He just painted a nude picture of me! Why, I'm gonna kill him!"

Slightly amused, Thranduil pushed Keldarion back down when the prince jumped to his feet. "Easy, Kel. Don't kill him just yet. Imagine how shock I was when I came looking for you here and found that painting instead. But it's a very good painting, by the way. Legolas is greatly talented because you looked totally…um…_magnificent_. Naked, but magnificent."

Not knowing whether to laugh or stick his head inside a hole, Keldarion glanced back at the painting and grimaced. He was naked, all right, and he was standing in the heart of the maze under the pale moonlight. There was no sign of the Qestari statue, though, but Legolas had put _him_ on the marble pedestal instead. He looked like one of the warrior statues in his father's garden—sans the clothing. The expression on his face was sober enough, as if standing naked in the open was his favorite pastime.

_And he made me hold a sword, for heaven's sake! What was Legolas thinking?!_

"Does this have anything to do with your strange behavior the last few days?" Thranduil asked, grinning.

Knowing that he could no longer hide his secret from his father, Keldarion relented. "Very well, father. I will tell you everything. But first, promise me one thing."

"And what would that be?"

"Don't you _ever _hang that painting in this building."

"Oh, you mean I can hang it outside in the trees?"

"_Father_!"

Thranduil laughed to see the look of horror on his son's face. "I was just joking! Relax. So, what are you going to do with it?"

Keldarion picked up the painting and couldn't stop himself from blushing. "My first thought is to burn it," he said, gazing down at his own face. "But, annoying and embarrassing though it is, this is Legolas' artful creation, a gift from him to me. Even if he made this as a joke, it's still very beautiful and priceless. I will put this at the very back of my closet, so that no one can steal it and blackmail me with it!"

As Keldarion was left to explain _everything_ to his father, Legolas meanwhile was happily munching on a piece of apple pie at the breakfast table. Linden sat opposite him, looking highly puzzled at Thranduil and Keldarion's absence. The commander was also curious to see the mischievous gleam in Legolas' eyes when the prince eyed him intently, up and down.

If Linden only knew what Legolas was plotting inside that cunning brain of his, the commander might have taken off running and screaming.

_Naked Keldarion in the maze?_Legolas smiled, thinking to himself. _Done_. __

_Linden__ on a wild ride?_

The prince's grin grew wider as Linden squirmed uncomfortably under his gaze.

_Work in progress_.

THE END.

**Thank you for reading this story to the finish! I'm glad you enjoy it as much as I enjoy writing it. I'm very grateful for your time, and thanks a million for all the reviews! They really made my day. **

**Like usual, here are the faithful reviewers in alphabetical order : AbbiCat14; Althelas; Aranel of Mirkwood; Artex; astalder27; Becky Greenleaf; beginning end-314; Bluewater; Brazgirl; Coolio02; Deana; Dur En Thurin Naur; Effigy; Enigma Jade; feanen; Fire Breathing Ferret; fondued jicama; Gwyn; HissoriOokami; Hp-Azn; Jamie Leigh; jubisaurus; Karina; Lady Lenna; Laire Eryn; Laswen; Legolas' Garden Light; Legolas Greenleaf; Legolas TroyGurl; Manders1953; meisalliam; Mellaithwen; MoroTheWolfGod; Namarie an Lalaith; Nathalia Porter; Nessa Thranduiliel; Nikki1; Oh nO I'm no alcoholic; othrilis; popo; Rath; Sailor Elf; szhismine; Someone Reading; Starlit Hope; Tararith Greenleaf; Tauron; tbiris; The Cheese Turkey; WitchofNZ; wolfman357; Young Storyteller**

**THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!**

**COMING ATTRACTIONS: I know I've promised you Tremor and Towering Inferno before this, but I suddenly lost the plots in the middle of the way. Grrr! Don't worry, I'll come back with them later when things get straightened up. By the way, I have a post-LOTR in progress. For the time being, the title is 'Time Will Heal'. Oh, yeah. It sounds angsty to me. So to all angst lovers out there, stay tuned!**

**See you next…uh…year? Sorry. Just kidding. Next month.**

**Smile! **


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